維摩經略疏垂裕記 9.70

9.70

Second, under "First, what is," explaining sequentially has four parts: first, directly contemplating sentient beings entering emptiness from the provisional, which has two parts: first, Mañjuśrī's question; second, Jingming's answer, which has two parts: first, dividing into sections; second, explaining sequentially, which has three parts: first, contemplating the conventional truth of sentient beings based on the ten similes such as the illusion-like, which has two parts: first, preliminarily showing the division into sections. Jingxi says: "Existing by own-nature" and so forth refers to attachment to nature; hence it says "empty of nature" and so forth. Regarding "If one understands that the provisional is the real": understanding that names are provisional while there are still real dharmas, thus only by emptying both the provisional and the real does one see the real substance. Regarding "All are illusory existence": both the provisional and the real are illusions. Regarding "Accordance with principle": the principle of dharmatā is precisely emptiness, and because the provisional is precisely empty, it is called "accordance with principle." Moreover, contemplating this provisional, provisionally establishing the name "living beings" to make it the object of contemplation, is called "contemplating living beings." The ten similes below directly contemplate real dharmas to cause them to become emptiness of dharmas; hence it is called "contemplating sentient beings." In the explanation below, wishing to make the lower four identical to "like an illusion," it first explains illusion in detail. Next, it uses these four to generalize the latter five similes. As for the latter five "according with sentiments": Question: This chapter clarifies universal emptiness in accordance with principle; why must it further establish five similes according with sentiments? Answer: Having attached to the aggregates as real, although one also knows they are provisional, the provisional has not yet become the true; hence it establishes accordance with sentiments to assist accordance with principle. Evaluating them in contrast with illusion, they thus belong to analyzing dharmas.